Ch. 38
Breaking One's Limits
Moriko panted lightly as Itachi supported her, the two of them leaving the hospital after another full day of work. With the Hiraishin seal finished, Moriko and Jiraiya were able to craft a modified version of the seal two weeks later and were now in the process of checking all the civilians in the hospital for sleeper agent seals and adding a series of seals to them that would allow them limited access to the hospital and would be able to evacuate them in case of a village-wide emergency. The seals would either take them to the shelters that were inside the Hokage monument, or to the old Root facilities that were outside the village if there was a worse emergency.
Moriko was also working on the permeable suspended animation seal that would lower ninja fatalities still, but she wasn't sure they would manage it before the start of the invasion. As it was she had just finished placing seals on the civilians for the day and was wiped out, her chakra low after how many she had just finished. If she and Jiraiya kept this up, they would be finished sealing the civilians by the end of the week. She grimaced as she tripped, feeling sluggish from the fatigue as Itachi steadied her. She heard her name being called before Hizashi appeared on her other side, hovering in worry as his active eyes scanned her swiftly.
"What happened? Your chakra is very low," he said as he moved to support her on her other side. She nearly blushed feeling the solid wall of muscle as he put her arm over his shoulder. He had definitely been bulking up since he had taken to training with Gai every day.
"I've had a lot of work to do lately and it's starting to catch up with me is all," she said with a tired smile as Hizashi sent a speaking look to Itachi, clearly asking the other man to confirm her assessment of her health. Itachi regarded Hizashi thoughtfully for a moment before deciding to ignore him. Well, that was better than how Itachi had reacted to Hizashi's presence two weeks ago, Hizashi noted to himself. Hizashi's brow furrowed in concern before he returned his attention to the young woman besides him as they stepped out the new hospital. They started heading back to the Clan district to return Moriko to her home. As they drew close to the Sarutobi Clan Compound however, Moriko began gesturing towards the soon to be Uzumaki Compound.
"I need to do something really quick before I head home," she said as Itachi regarded her a moment before shooting a questioning look towards Hizashi.
"It's fine, he can come, I trust him," she said, causing the young man's lips to tighten for a moment before he nodded, and the group entered her compound.
Hizashi found himself looking around with interest seeing the changes that had taken place since the last time he had been there. The wood of the veranda looked uniform and polished. In fact, all the wood on the house looked uniform in color and freshly polished. The shoji doors were all new, the rice paper immaculate, the walls a fresh white or rich wood with simple inlaid designs. There were lanterns among the few trees that were scattered throughout the central courtyard, and Hizashi found himself identifying the tree species before he could help himself.
She had Sakura trees, Wisteria, Ume Plum, apple, persimmon, and the Japanese maple. There were places to sit under the trees as well as steppingstones that led to them. At the edge of the trees shade, lay a decently sized koi pond, the fish moving through the water lazily, lotus growing to the side to offer the fish shade. There were a few areas of the courtyard that seemed dedicated to flowers or small shrubs. The rest of the courtyard was full of white gravel and steppingstones, patterns made in the gravel.
"Beautiful," he murmured taking in the serenity of the large shady courtyard.
"How did you get such large trees planted?" Hizashi asked as they went through the courtyard to the left into the main part of the house. She chuckled and waved a gand airly.
"Some of these trees had been gifted to me some time ago. I've had that one in a storage seal about four years now. Others I used a seal to grow," she said as she pointed towards the Sakura tree and he nodded.
"How did you have the time to grow the others?" he asked and she chuckled.
"I used a localized aging seal to grow them faster. My first few tries the trees didn't survive since they needed the vitamins and minerals to be higher in the soil, but eventually I managed to get them the right amount, before cancling the seal once they were big enough," she said as the man's eyes widened in a mixture of awe and horror. He had known peripherally that seals were powerful and there were time-space ninjutsu seals, but he had not known that a seal master could localize an area and effect the time within it. He shuddered thinking of what that could do to the human body before the beautiful house distracted him once more.
They went past a newly finished kitchen, the wood and metals gleaming in the low light of the house before they entered the large sealing room. Itachi paused taking in all the lines of fuinjutsu that covered the room with a spot in the center for Moriko. A few clones finished up the preparations for the seal and Moriko straightened and pulled away from the two men.
"What are you making?" Itachi asked, brow furrowed as he tried to discern the purpose of the seal.
"I keep running out of chakra. I've been debating this for a while, but I think I'm going to give myself a very large chakra storage seal, like the strength of a hundred seal, just a bit different," she said as she stripped down to her sports bra and compression shorts. Both men were caught flat footed by the sudden reveal of skin as she went to the middle of the seal and turned away removing her last articles of clothing, her hair hiding most of her body from their eyes as she sat in the middle of the seal. Itachi's breath caught, eyes flashing red as he took in the little glimpses of creamy skin that was still a little flush from the summer heat outside. She had her back to them as the clones swept her hair out of the way and began painting fuinjutsu over her skin leading to her head. It coiled over her arms and legs as she held still. Hizashi eyed the enormous room that was covered in seal work, all feeding into the seal Moriko was preparing.
"Why isn't she just creating a touch seal like she normally does?" Hizashi whispered to Itachi. The young man shot him a look but spoke up.
"This seal is far more complex, and far larger. She would need to craft every detail of the seal from memory with no mistakes to be able to place a touch seal, which is why most sealing masters only use ink and paper their entire careers. It's hard to memorize seals, much less complex ones but with her clones she's able to. It's why Jiraiya only uses a few seals as touch seals since you have to memorize them. However, this is too far outsider her reach to do so safely," said Itachi as Hizashi nodded, the older man trying to keep his eyes off the naked young woman as her clones finished up the inkwork.
The five clones moved in perfect tandem as they ran through a string of hand seals before they ended on the horse hand seal. The five clones held their ground as the seal slithered off the walls and into itself as it solidified into lines that ran over her body before it solidified into a purple seal on her forehead, leaving the room bare of fuinjutsu.
"Seal complete," the clones murmured in stereo before they dispersed, and the young woman slumped over. Itachi cursed as he went to the young woman's side to find her unconscious. Cursing he checked her vitals as the Hyuga scanned her with his doujutsu.
"She's fine, her heart is good, breathings fine, just low on chakra," he said as he removed his Haori and passed it to Itachi to cover her with. The young man grudgingly took it and swept the covered woman into his arms. They moved through the quiet compound unspeaking for a moment before Itachi finally broke the silence.
"Why do you want her?" he asked causing the two men to stop in the hall to regard each other, Itachi's eyes red with the Sharingan to read the other man's body language. Hizashi, upon seeing this sighed as his form relaxed slightly.
"As you know, the old Oba indicated to me that they wanted me to marry her."
Itachi's breath caught, anger flashing over his face before Hizashi made an impatient gesture and continued speaking.
"I decided that I wouldn't do that to myself for the sake of the clan. I wasn't interested in getting married again, much less for a political marriage. I've already been in one of those." he said a bit heated before he paused to look out the window, face somber for a moment till he came back to himself. Turning to Irachi he gave awry smile.
"Why do you think the clan kept attacking me to force me to get into shape, Itachi? Courting her was not a voluntary decision on my part." He said with a meaningful look and Itachi relaxed minutely.
"But in between the antics and the chaos, I realized that she's very kind. She tries to hide it, and I have a feeling she's been hurt a time or two for it, but when it comes down to it, she's considerate and she cares. You saw what she did when my brother came to make trouble with the Clan, protecting us once more, offering me the freedom to follow my heart despite how valuable a favor from my clan could be. So many other people would be seeking to exploit us, to use us, to use me. She's an amazing woman, as you have seen for yourself. I heard she saved your life as a child. Can you tell me what happened?" asked Hizashi as Itachi's expression turned pensive, debating what to say. They walked into the courtyard before Itachi paused under the Sakura tree, eyes distant. He finally spoke, his words slow as if he was lost in memory.
"She was a civilian at the time, hair shorn short for whatever reason, her ill-kempt clothes not her own. It was dark and I had been drugged and herded with genjutsu to the Sarutobi Compound backyard. I came out of a bush, confused and panicked, separated from my clan, my little brother in my arms. There was an assassin. We would have died. Without hesitation, without knowing who we were, she took a sword for us, killed our attacker with her bare fists and ushered us into the house for protection, the Hokage's seals securing the home from further threats. And despite knowing that I was a child with hands already drenched in blood, she treated me like something precious, something to be protected and loved at a time when I felt isolated and expected to stand on my own by my own family, a mere ten-year-old. I couldn't have resisted if I had wanted to. I have loved her since that night. As I've aged and changed, my understanding of this world has deepened. The more it has, the more I have grown to love her." He said quietly as Hizashi nodded in thought before sending the young man a wry smile.
"Looks like she snagged us both the same way," Hizashi joked causing the Uchiha heir and a bush to snort in amusement. Hizashi and Itachi leapt back in defensive stances as something dark slid into being, a young man forming before he leaned against the Sakura tree looking relaxed. Ryusuke merely grinned as the other two men shot him annoyed looks.
"Nara," Hizashi greeted curtly as Itachi nodded his way. Ryusuke gave a nod in greeting as he meandered forward with a frown, light eyes concerned.
"She dead tired again?" he asked as Itachi grimaced and nodded, handing over the unconscious young woman. Ryusuke's mild expression turned into a grimace before he sighed deeply having taken in her fatigued face. This cycle of her running herself dry was starting to get on his nerves.
"I have half a mind for us to take her out the village for a couple of days to recover," he grumbled, frowning as he touched the purple diamond on her forehead. That was new. After a moment he sighed before shooting Itachi a look, speaking German.
"How many civilians did she get to today?"
"With her clones and chakra exhaustion? Probably 1,000 to 2,000."
Ryusuke's face contorted with anger at the large amount for a moment before he seemed to calm himself.
"How many more were left to do?"
"Probably a thousand," said Itachi thoughtfully and Ryusuke nodded.
"She's also got one last seal she's been working on, and Jiraiya can probably get the last of them finished before we get back. If not it should be a manageable amount," Ryusuke muttered before straightening and speaking in Japanese.
"Alright. It's settled. We're kidnapping her for a couple of days; she needs to recover. I'll send a clone to the Hokage. We won't go far." He said before throwing Itachi a mission scroll with funds.
Without a word Itachi departed as Hizashi began regarding the tall Nara warily. Itachi had handed over the young woman without fuss to the other man and was deferring to the taller man's judgement over the situation. The same Itachi that glared at him with hackles raised whenever he went to interact with the young woman. Without thinking Hizashi's eyes activated and he paused, taking in the large amount of chakra the Nara had, the seals on his body and the Anbu tattoo on his shoulder. Ryusuke sent Hizashi a warning look.
"Careful Hyuga. You should know better than to look where you shouldn't," Ryusuke said in English making the other man grimace before considering the other man for a long while clearly mulling it over. As he thought Ryusuke did the same before the shadow user suddenly piped up.
"Are you serious about her?" he asked pulling the other man from his thoughts, Hizashi's eyes narrowing at the question.
"Are you?" he asked as the other man frowned and straightened to his full impressive height.
"It's my job to die for her, and I would do it gladly so yes, in a way you could say I am. Are you?" Ryusuke asked with a quirked smile as Hizashi frowned at the other man in understanding and interest. The Hyuga mulled it over as he pieced together the implications. He had noticed that the Anbu around town now had the same seals on them that Ryusuke had, and Hizashi had already spotted the tattoo. Itachi was the same and had started following the young woman around at the same times every day. Most likely these two men were an Anbu guard on rotation, Hizashi surmised having gotten the hint when the other man had said it was his job to protect the young woman.
"Do you feel it will come to that?" he asked as the other man shrugged with a grin.
"Hopefully not, but it might. And from what I've heard, you're a B rank fighter. If you're serious about her, you need to start training harder, maybe get a few techniques under your belt, ask her for some seals to enhance your natural fighting capabilities. I know you're uncomfortable around seals and for good reason but they are a part of her. if you can't get over it I suggest you move on. Back to the main topic if you're a B-rank while out of practice, then I suspect you can get up to A rank with a bit of work. If you're able, try to become S ranked, and if you aren't willing to lay down your life for her, then you can forget it," he said as Hizashi's eyes narrowed further at the other man's sharp tone.
While Hizashi didn't think the other man was invested in her romantically yet, he sensed a seriousness to the other man's words that had his mind flashing back to the day where they worked on Moriko's compound.
"Why do you keep it so high?"
"Because when I bring the Uzumaki Clan back, the rest of the elemental nations are going to be coming for our blood…"
He grimaced as he thought over the previous conversations he had had with Moriko and her concerns about her family being targeted by the other nations. For whatever reason this young man seemed to have the Uzumaki's best interests in mind and had made it clear that he would stand in the way of Hizashi's pursuit of the young woman unless he could prove his sincerity and dedication.
Hizashi wasn't stupid, the redhead had been extremely busy the past few months, and had gone out the other night as if to celebrate something, like a breakthrough. Next thing he knew she was in the hospital everyday, leaving drained dry of chakra with a herd of civilians cycling through to see her and Jiraiya. Trying to find her often enough had led to him watching her placing seals on the civilians.
Her normally overprotective sensei wasn't stopping her from running herself ragged either, and she now had an Anbu guard of at least two people. She was working on something big enough that this young man would happily lay down his life for her, without needing the overly personal motivations to do so. He seemed to have seniority out of the two Anbu and from his temperament and chakra amount, Hizashi would wager him strong, strong enough to aid the young woman in battle, putting the Nara at high A rank to S ranked. She also seemed to have times where she was vulnerable, after having completed tasks for the village like today.
As a husband, he would be expected to defend his weakened wife from threats that may come for her. It made sense that the other man would try to get in his way unless he had the strength to support his wife and her future clan. Hizashi imagined it, faceless figures threatening Moriko and their children. His chest tightened with stress, and he found himself spitting out words without restraint.
"I will protect her, for all that come." He looked up to meet the other man's eyes, determination turning his face firm with resolve. The Nara seemed to regard him for a minute and Hizashi held firm under the scrutiny. Finally, the young man relaxed, looking away dismissively.
"Then prove it. Get strong enough to take my place. If you can," he goaded lightly a smirk crossing his lips that had the Hyuga's eye wanting to twitch in annoyance. Not long after Itachi returned, toting her battle scroll and a bag. The two young men sent him a nod of acknowledgement before there was a puff of smoke a large crow now under their feet. Without preamble, it took to the skies, the heavy winds from its wings buffeting the Hyuga clan head. He wasn't sure how long he stood there gazing after them, eyes activated as he watched the bird fly away, until he finally turned towards his home, deep in thought. He had a lot to think over.
AN: Mwahahaha!